Shelter Medicine
Normal in The US? What is Shelter Medicine?
Have you ever heard of the word shelter medicine?
It is a veterinary science that specializes in animal shelters. Because animal shelters manage many animals at the same time, they need a unique perspective to manage the entire herd, not just individual animals.
This is a concept that has not yet taken root in Japanese shelters, but it is already common in American shelters, and is practiced in all public shelters. What exactly is shelter medicine?
The Way of Thinking in Terms of Shelter Medicine
Shelter Medicine installs special software in shelters to quantify and manage the condition of animals in the facility.
Why quantify?
This is to ensure proper "herd management," which is the most important aspect of shelter medicine. In a shelter where many animals have to be cared for at once, it is not possible to care for each animal individually. Even if it is unhappy for one animal, if it is in the best interest of the entire flock, there is no choice but to give up on that animal.
Some people may feel that this is cold, but the purpose of a shelter is to find foster homes for more animals that will take good care of them. This concept is also important as a means to protect as many animals as possible. And as a means to efficiently help as many animals as possible, it is necessary to "quantify" the number of animals that can be easily viewed objectively.
Shelter Medicine in Japan
In Japan, efforts are being made to spread the concept of shelter medicine, such as holding shelter medicine seminars for those who run facilities. Although these efforts are still in progress, shelters in Japan are gradually changing like other advanced animal welfare countries.
Summary
Shelter medicine has become the norm at shelters in the U.S. It is a way of thinking that considers and manages animals as a group rather than as individual animals. Shelter medicine is gradually becoming known in Japan as well, but its recognition is still low.
